"The Holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, according to Mark." [color=#0000FF]13Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15Should we pay or shouldn't we?" But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." 16They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. 17Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him. [/color] "The Gospel of the Lord." Pharisees and Herodians. Those representing Jewish and Roman law. And they were sent to "catch him in his words" or "entrap." What was the trap? No matter how Jesus answered their question, he could be brought up on charges. If he said it was not lawful to pay taxes, he could be said to stirring up insurrection against Rome. If he said it was lawful to pay taxes, he was a Roman sympathizer and a traitor to his people. See how they come at him with false flattery. "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth." Teacher, or rabbi. A title of distinction, of honor. They also call him a 'man of integrity.' They say he isn't 'swayed by men' and they he pays 'no attention to who they are.' Perhaps Peter had this in mind when he said that God is no respector of persons. In any event, notice that Jesus doesn't even respond to their flattery. It is truly hypocrisy for had they held Jesus in such high regard as their speech would seem to indicate they wouldn't try to trap him. But Jesus knew their evil intent. He saw through the fawning and responded accordingly. "Why are you trying to trap me?" A fair question. He does not wait for a response. I surmise that any response would be backtracking and hemming and hawing and more vain flattery. Instead of answering the question directly, Jesus asks for a denarius, a coin. Whose image is on the coin? Caesar's. Therefore give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. The money is Caesar's give him the taxes. But your bodies, your souls, your mind, your devotion, your service, these belong to God. Just as a coin is stamped with the image of Caesar, so is every person stamped in the image of God. What do we give to Caesar, what do we give to God?